London's Pulse: Medical Officer of Health reports 1848-1972
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Hints from the Health Department. Leaflet from the archive of the Society of Medical Officers of Health. Credit: Wellcome Collection, London
Barking 1926
[Report of the Medical Officer of Health for Barking]
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55
By the Notification of Births Act, all live births and still-births
of seven months and over are required to be notified to the Medical
Officer of Health within 30 hours. Of the total live births all cxcept
33 or 4.1 per cent, were notified.
The following table gives details of the notifications received :—
| By whom notified. | Live Births. | Still Births |
|---|---|---|
| Medical Practitioners | 117 | 4 |
| Certified Midwives | 529 | 14 |
| Parents and Others | 124 | 4 |
The percentage of still-births was 2.6.
Of the total live births during the year 511, or 63.6 per cent,
were attended by midwives, the remainder being attended by
medical practitioners.
BIRTH RATE.
The birth rate for the year was 21.01, compared with 17.8 for
England and Wales.
MATERNITY AND INFANT WELFARE.
The Ante-Natal Clinic.
The work of the Clinic was carried on as in previous years.
Briefly its aims are as follows:—
(1) By maintenance of the maternal health during pregnancy
to reduce the foetal and neonatal mortality; to produce
healthier babies at birth, and to reduce failures in breast
feeding.
(2) By the detection and removal of foci of infection in the
mother, viz., septic conditions of the mouth and throat, and
of the genital tract to reduce the incidence of puerperal
sepsis and of contagious conditions such as opthalmia
neonatorum in the infant.